If you’ve been wondering why “furry culture” became a topic on the Senate floor, you can thank Sen. Tommy Tuberville.
The Alabama Republican and former Auburn football coach brought up furries during a Sept. 22 speech about what he described as a rise in “gender confusion” in the United States.
Tuberville argued claimed an “alarming” number of pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are furries.
“Lord, help us. It’s terrifying when you think about this,” Tuberville said.
What is a furry?
The furry fandom is a community centered around an interest in anthropomorphic animals — fictional animals with human characteristics.
Participation can include creating artwork and characters, attending conventions, joining online communities or wearing animal costumes.
Many furries create a character known as a “fursona.”
Being a furry does not necessarily mean someone wears a costume or engages in sexual activity.
Why did Tuberville bring up pilots?
Tuberville pointed to an April incident at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, where pilots were heard making meowing and barking noises over an air traffic control frequency.
The FAA said it was investigating and noted that non-essential conversations are prohibited below 10,000 feet.
But there is no evidence that the pilots involved were furries.
Tuberville did not provide evidence for his broader claim about the number of airline workers who participate in furry culture.
Why is Tuberville against furries?
Tuberville's comments are part of his broader opposition to transgender people and gender-affirming policies. During his Senate speech, he characterized both transgender identity and furry participation in negative terms and questioned whether people would want a furry serving as their pilot.
He called furry culture a mental illness, but furry fandom is not classified as a mental illness by any major psychiatric organizations.
The April incident at DCA involved pilots making animal noises, but it does not prove they were members of the furry community.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is 'furry culture' and why is Tommy Tuberville against it?"
